Grace

Wow, I didn't realize I took such a long break from posting on here. I guess we've been busy.
This post is all about Hannah. We celebrated her 7th birthday in November. Where does the time go? I can't believe she is already 7!

How did she go from this...

To this...

 

 We celebrated her birthday with some friends in Ventura. Hannah was thrilled to spend some time with Ventura friends. We were too! It was such a fun day.

 

 

This girl...she has my heart. I love the way she laughs, just hearing it makes me laugh. She is kind and compassionate. She is adventurous. She loves her friends, and as I think I have said before, can make friends anywhere. The first time we went to a new park here in Atascadero, she made friends with two sisters, and we have since met them at the park again several times. This extroverted girl has been good for this introverted mama.
Grace is her middle name, and she has shown me grace so many times. Unmerited favor. So many times as a parent I have felt like I've failed or not given my kids the best. I can be short with them. I can yell. I can lose my patience. Why is it always so much easier to see our faults instead of our victories?
But then, this beautiful little girl leaves this note for me:

(Translation: I love you Mom so much. I love you every day. I am lucky to have you.)

And that just melts my heart. It makes me think maybe I'm doing a better job as her mama than I think. For all those times I fail, she still loves me and says she's lucky. And isn't this how God loves us? His love for us is not based on our works, not on what we do or don't do. It is unmerited favor. Getting what we don't deserve.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Ephesians 2:8,9

I think I'm the lucky one.